FC Barcelona have been fortunate enough to have seen some of the greatest footballing minds be a part of the club. Beyond just players of immense quality and stature, La Blaugrana have seen generational masterminds arrive too. However, not every Barcelona coach has been able to deliver equally.
Such has been the case of Xavi Hernandez as well in his latest stint at the club. Despite the important silverware he brought and the players he has helped develop, the ongoing campaign has not been the brightest for Barcelona. As such, the Catalan club needs an adequate and able successor.
There are several names on the table, but a final decision is yet to be made. Most of the top priority candidates originate from Germany, but a certain Italian option has a credible backing. As per SPORT, Pep Guardiola himself recommended Roberto de Zerbi as the ideal next coach for Barcelona.
Few people know Barça as well as Guardiola does. The current head coach of Manchester City is a two-time winner of the continental treble, once before with Barcelona as well as his latest triumph with City, and has many more titles to his name with Barça both as a player and as a coach.
Through his recommendation, the Brighton coach is seen as the ideal candidate to replace Xavi. This adds a lot more value to the preference of the Barcelona board, as Pep remains a loyal supporter of the club, and having been playing against De Zerbi’s Brighton since quite some time, his opinion is possibly much more justifiable than that of others.
However, there are still reasons that prevent Barcelona from going for certain coaches. The Hansi Flick case, for instance, is keeping Barcelona from approaching him due to his lack of experience in more top leagues than one. De Zerbi has more of a diverse list of clubs managed, but he is yet to take on the duty at a club of Barça’s stature.
For one reason or another, the ultimate decision will have to wait. Barcelona continue to count on Xavi Hernandez for the rest of this season, and the Catalan club needs to ensure a strong finish. Only after that can a new successor be finally considered and brought in.
